Instant self-heating containers

ABSTRACT

Instant self-heating containers include a combinable reactant and activator used to generate an exothermic reaction for heating contents of the container. One instant self-heating container includes a target container, a pierceable activator container and a reaction chamber. Piercing the activator container causes activator to combine with the reactant and cause an exothermic reaction that heats the target container. The container may be used as depilatory wax dispenser. Another instant self-heating container includes an outer housing containing a contents pouch and a reactant, and capped by a lid having an activator chamber. Rupturing the activator chamber allows activator to combine with the reactant in an exothermic reaction to heat the contents pouch. Another instant self-heating container includes a flexible outer tube containing contents to be heated, a flexible reaction vessel, and a frangible activator vessel. Bending the outer tube causes the activator vessel to rupture and cause an exothermic reaction.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.13/387,213, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,561,792, entitled “Instant Self-HeatingContainers.” which is a United States national stage application ofInternational Application no. PCT/US2010/043217 entitled “InstantSelf-Heating Containers” and filed Jul. 26, 2010, which claims priorityto U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/228,586 entitled “InstantSelf-Heating Food and Beverage Container” and filed Jul. 26, 2009, andalso to U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/228,592 entitled“Disposable Depilatory Wax Dispenser” and filed Jul. 26, 2009. Thecontents of the parent application PCT patent application and both ofthe United States provisional patent applications are incorporatedherein by reference in their entirety as if set forth verbatim.

FIELD

The embodiments disclosed herein relate generally to self-heatingcontainers, and in particular to instant self-heating containers fordispensing heated products.

BACKGROUND

One problem with most beverages, ready-to-eat foods, and other productsthat require heating is that they are not hot straight out of thecontainer. Rather, they must be heated by external means. Althoughinstant teas or soups can be heated by adding hot or boiling water tothe container, this assumes that the user has access to a supply of hotwater. Many times this is simply not true. For example, the user may beoutdoors or otherwise without access to microwaves, stoves, electricityor heating fuel. Further, in emergency situations, instant access toheated beverages, food or other products may be vital to survival.

A related problem is found in the spa and beauty industries which makewide-spread use of heated waxes and resins to remove unwanted hair andhair follicles from various body parts, such the eyebrow, upper lip, armpit, bikini line, legs, arms, and other areas of the body. For thepurposes of this disclosure, the term “wax” or “resin” is understood toencompass any heated depilatory agent. In a typical wax depilatingsession, a bulk of wax or similar substance is heated by electricalmeans in a container, such as a can, tub, or pot. It can be difficult,particularly for a home user without access to specialized heatingequipment, to heat and maintain the wax at the correct temperaturewithout dangerously overheating it.

Once heated, the wax is applied to the hair and underlying skin by aspreader tool such as a tongue depressor or applicator. The heated waxis scooped up by the esthetician or home user via the applicator, andspread onto the treatment area in a sufficient amount and allowed tocool or congeal. Multiple dips into the heated wax container are neededto cover the treatment area. After cooling, the user grasps the hardenedwax layer and quickly pulls the congealed wax off the skin, thusremoving the hair away from the skin. In a soft wax application, theusage is very much the same except with the addition of a gauze orsimilar strip being applied over the wax as the carrier to lenddimensional stability to the wax as it is being pulled from thetreatment area.

In all depilatory wax-based applications, sanitation is a concern as“double dipping” may occur or multiple contacts between the applicator,skin, and bulk wax. Specifically, when the applicator is used againstthe skin, dead skin cells, hair and debris, and potential pathogensstick to the wax on the applicator. When the operator reloads theapplicator by scooping up additional wax from the bulk wax, the bulk waxcan be subject to contamination from contact with the skin, dead skincells, hair and debris on the applicator. In practice, crosscontamination from multiple people has been a growing concern, asincreased incidences of skin-related illnesses have been reported from“later” customers. For example, skin conditions such as impetigo, herpessimplex, ringworm, scabies, warts and many other conditions includingafflictions derived from fungus, viruses, and bacteria can becommunicated to later customers via the bulk wax container.

Another complication is that the bulk wax takes a significant period oftime to heat, therefore, the treatment and disposal of contaminated waxcan be a significant cost in both time and energy. Also, handling largequantities of wax can be a difficult matter, especially in view of thetreatment and disposal concerns above.

To solve the various problems outlined above, many solutions have beenproposed. For example, instant-hot beverages and soups have beenprovided in which the outer container includes an inner contents chamber(to hold the beverage, soup or other contents to be heated), aquick-lime chamber, and a water chamber. The user causes the waterchamber to communicate with the quick lime chamber, and the combinationof water and quick-lime gives rise to a fast exothermic reaction (forexample, see U.S. Pat. No. 7,117,684 to Scudder et al.). While theseknown instant-hot containers provide the user with heated contents, theyhave drawbacks. First, the quick-lime and water reaction completes veryquickly so that although the contents are initially hot, they begin tocool down as soon as the exothermic reaction completes, which may be amatter of only a few minutes. Second, the quick-lime exothermic reactionis extremely hot and can lead to contents that are dangerously hot andthus requires a container that can withstand extremely hightemperatures. Finally, the quick-lime and water combination creates ahot slurry that can easily leak out of the container and cause burnsunless a complicated one-way valve is provided that allows gas to escapebut keeps the slurry inside the reaction area of the container.

Another significant problem with known instant self-heating containersis that the heated slurry tends to only contact the bottom of thecontents chamber so that the contents at the bottom of the contentschamber are initially much hotter than the contents at the top of thechamber. Where the contents are dispensed from the top of the outercontainer, this means that the contents which leave the container firstare coolest while the hottest contents remain at the bottom of thecontents chamber.

Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide an instant self-heatingfood and beverage container that has a long-lasting heat source so thatthe beverage or food can be maintained at a relatively constant elevatedtemperature for a relatively long duration of time. There is also a needfor an instant self-heating container that dispenses the hottestcontents first while allowing the cooler contents to continue heating. Aneed also exists for an instant self-heating container that heats theentire contents more quickly and uniformly. Similarly, there is a needfor a way to rapidly and uniformly heat depilatory wax in single-usecontainers so that users can quickly apply hot wax without the need fora large container that is subject to contamination. Finally, it wouldalso be advantageous to provide an instant self-heating container thatcan be made from relatively inexpensive, disposable materials.

SUMMARY

The instant self-heating containers disclosed below satisfy these needs.The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basicunderstanding of some aspects of the claimed subject matter. Thissummary is not an extensive overview, and is not intended to identifykey/critical elements or to delineate the scope of the claimed subjectmatter. Its purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form asa prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

In one embodiment, an instant self-heating container includes a firstshell that has a target container containing contents to be heated, andan activator container containing an activator. The activator containerhas a bottom, and the activator container and the target container eachhave container walls preventing intermixing of the contents to be heatedand the activator. A second shell is external to and nested with thefirst shell. The second shell includes a reaction chamber nested withthe target container and an activator receiving chamber nested with theactivator chamber and in fluid communication with the reaction chamber.A reactant is disposed in the reaction chamber and a piercer is disposedin the activator container of the first shell. When the piercer isactuated, such as by pushing it down by a user, the bottom of theactivator container is pierced thereby placing the activator containerin fluid communication with the activator receiving chamber and allowingactivator to travel from the activator container into the activatorreceiving chamber and into the reaction chamber, where the activatorcombines with the reactant thereby causing an exothermic reaction in thereaction chamber that heats the contents to be heated in the targetcontainer.

The instant self-heating container may also include a contents coversealing the contents to be heated inside the target container, thecontents cover having at least a portion that is openable to provideaccess to the target container. The instant self-heating container mayalso have an activator cover sealing the activator inside the activatorcontainer. Further, the contents cover and the activator cover may beintegral parts of a single container cover. If so, the first shellfurther may include a flat flange circumscribing the target containerand the activator container, so that the single container cover is apeel-back cover adhered to the flat flange of the first shell.

The target container may have a bottom with at least one protrusionextending upwardly into the target container. Such a protrusion may bein the shape of a single ring, or of two or more concentric rings. Theinstant self-heating container may also include a second protrusion inthe bottom of the target container in the shape of a second ringconcentric with the first ring.

In another embodiment, an instant self-heating container has an outerhousing with an open upper end and a closed lower end. A lid is attachedto the open upper end of the outer housing and includes a dispenseraperture and an activator chamber. A piercer is disposed inside theactivator chamber. A reactant is disposed inside the outer housing atthe closed lower end of the housing. A contents container with a lowerend and a sealed upper end is disposed inside the outer housing abovethe reactant. The contents container contains contents to be heated. Aconduit is in fluid communication between the lower end of the contentscontainer and the dispenser aperture of the lid. When the piercer isactuated, the activator chamber in the lid is pierced thereby permittingthe activator to flow inside the outer housing and combine with thereactant at the closed lower end of the outer housing to cause anexothermic reaction that heats the contents to be heated in the contentscontainer.

The lid may also include a vent for venting reaction gases from theouter housing. The lid may also include a hermetic seal that preventsthe contents to be heated from escaping from the instant self-heatingcontainer prior to breaking the hermetic seal. The activator chamber ofthe lid may have a lower end comprising a thin film so that theactivator chamber is pierced by pushing the piercer through the thinfilm. The activator chamber may also have a downwardly displaceableupper end that contacts the piercer at least when downward force isapplied to the upper end of the activator chamber.

The contents container inside the outer housing may be a pouch, and thepouch have a lower end comprising nestable external and internalgussets. The internal gusset of the pouch may include at least onepercolation aperture. The conduit connecting the lower end of thecontents container to the dispenser aperture of the lid may be a strawor may be integrally formed as part of the contents container,particularly where the contents container is a pouch. The reactant atthe lower end of the inside of the outer housing may be in directcontact with the lower end of the contents container. Alternatively, thereactant may be disposed inside a pouch in direct contact with the lowerend of the contents container. The contents to be heated may be releasedfrom the contents container through the dispenser aperture in meteredvolumes.

In another embodiment, an instant self-heating container is particularlysuitable for use as a depilatory wax dispenser. In this embodiment, aninstant self-heating depilatory container includes an outer enclosurewith an opening and an inner enclosure substantially interior to theouter enclosure and sealed around a periphery of the opening therebyforming an enclosed reaction cavity between the inner enclosure and theouter enclosure. The inner enclosure also includes a receiving cavitydisposed inside the inner enclosure. The instant self-heating depilatorycontainer also includes an activator well with an open end and a closedend, the closed end being in communication with the enclosed reactioncavity and providing a breachable passageway to the enclosed reactioncavity. A depilatory material is contained within the receiving cavityand a reactant is disposed within the enclosed reaction cavity, thereactant being activated by an activator contained within the activatorwell to generate an exothermic reaction when the activator is introducedinto the enclosed reaction cavity via the breachable passageway toprovide a regulated heating of the depilatory material.

The instant self-heating depilatory container may also include aremovable seal enclosing the receiving cavity. The activator may be anelectrolyte solution, water or other liquid. The activator well may beinterior or exterior to the inner enclosure. An open tray may beconnected to the outer enclosure. The breachable passageway may bebreached by exerting a force to the closed end. An aromatic compound maybe disposed in at least one of the reaction cavity and inner well. Thedepilatory compound may be wax-based or resin-based, without limitation.The inner enclosure may be donut-shaped, and the outer enclosure may bedisposable.

In another embodiment, an instant self-heating container is particularlysuitable for use as a heated contents dispenser. In this embodiment, aninstant self-heating dispenser includes a flexible outer tube having afirst end with a dispensing nozzle and an open second end. The outertube contains contents to be heated. A flexible reaction vessel isdisposed inside the outer tube and is in contact with the contents to beheated. The reaction vessel contains a reactant. A frangible activatorvessel is disposed inside the reaction vessel and contains an activator.A cap is attached to the open second end of the outer tube and coversthe reaction vessel and the open second end of the outer tube, and alsoincludes a vent. Bending the outer tube causes the frangible activatorvessel to rupture and release activator into the reaction vessel wherethe activator combines with the reactant and causes an exothermicreaction that heats the contents to be heated in the outer tube.

The contents to be heated in the flexible outer tube may be a depilatorywax, and there may be an applicator attached to the dispensing nozzle ofthe flexible outer tube. The applicator may include a roller, at leasttwo parallel paddles, or a squeegee (flexible rubber blade). A membranemay be adhered over the vent in the cap to seal the reaction vessel, andthe membrane may be adhered over the vent in the cap with a water-basedadhesive that dissolves in steam produced by the exothermic reactioncaused by combining the activator and the reactant in the reactionvessel. The reactant may be disposed in an elongate water permeablepouch inside the reaction vessel.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certainillustrative aspects are described herein in connection with thefollowing description and the appended drawings. These aspects areindicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which theprinciples of the claimed subject matter may be employed and the claimedsubject matter is intended to include all such aspects and theirequivalents. Other advantages and novel features may become apparentfrom the following detailed description when considered in conjunctionwith the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an instant self-heating container.

FIG. 2 is a front cross-sectional view of the instant self-heatingcontainer of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the instant-self heating containerof FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of a piercer for an instantself-heating container.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of an instantself-heating container.

FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view of the instant self-heating containerof FIG. 5.

FIG. 6B is a top plan view of a piercer used in the instant self-heatingcontainer of FIG. 5.

FIG. 6C is a perspective view of the piercer of FIG. 6B.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a contents container pouch of theinstant self-heating container of FIG. 5, shown prior to full assembly.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional profile view of the middle of a contentscontainer pouch of the instant self-heating container of FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an instantself-heating depilatory container.

FIG. 10 is a top view of the instant self-heating depilatory containerof FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional side view of the instant self-heatingdepilatory container of FIG. 9.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional side view of the instant self-heatingdepilatory container of FIG. 9, with a downward force being applied.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional side view of the instant self-heatingdepilatory container of FIG. 9, after the downward force is released.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional side view of the instant self-heatingdepilatory container of FIG. 9 with the sealing membrane removed.

FIG. 15A-B are cross-sectional side views of the instant self-heatingdepilatory container of FIG. 9 in use.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of another embodiment of an instantself-heating depilatory container.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the instant self-heating depilatorycontainer of FIG. 16 with the sealing membrane removed.

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional side view of the instant self-heatingdepilatory container of FIG. 16.

FIG. 19 a perspective view of another embodiment of an instantself-heating depilatory container.

FIG. 20 is a front plan view of an embodiment of an instant self-heatingdispenser.

FIG. 20A is a perspective view of an alternate applicator with parallelpaddles for use with the instant self-heating dispenser of FIG. 20.

FIG. 20B is a perspective view of an alternate applicator with asqueegee for use with the instant self-heating dispenser of FIG. 20

FIG. 21 is an exploded and hidden lines view of the outer tube, reactionvessel and activator vessel of the instant self-heating dispenser ofFIG. 20.

FIG. 22 is an exploded view of the instant self-heating dispenser ofFIG. 20.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the instant self-heating dispenser ofFIG. 20 being bent and activated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The embodiments disclosed below address a need for a relativelyinexpensive instant self-heating container that remains at an elevatedtemperature for a relatively long duration of time. In one embodiment,an instant self-heating container includes a first shell that has atarget container containing contents to be heated, and an activatorcontainer containing an activator. The activator container has a bottom,and the activator container and the target container each have containerwalls preventing intermixing of the contents to be heated and theactivator. A second shell is external to and nested with the firstshell. The second shell includes a reaction chamber nested with thetarget container and an activator receiving chamber nested with theactivator container and in fluid communication with the reactionchamber. A reactant is disposed in the reaction chamber and a piercer ismounted in the activator container of the first shell. When the pierceris pushed down by a user, the bottom of the activator container ispierced thereby placing the activator container in fluid communicationwith the activator receiving chamber and allowing activator to travelfrom the activator container into the activator receiving chamber andinto the reaction chamber and combining with the reactant therebycausing an exothermic reaction in the reaction chamber that heatscontents to be heated in the target container.

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of an instant self-heating container.Self-heating container 1 includes first shell 2 and second shell 4.First shell 2 and second shell 4 are nested together and may or may notbe bonded together. First shell 2 includes target container 10 which hastarget container walls 12. First shell 2 further includes activatorcontainer 20 which has activator container walls 22. Target container 10contains the contents to be heated, which may be a beverage, food, oranything else desired to be heated. Activator container 20 containsactivator 24 (see FIG. 2). Container walls 12 and 22 prevent intermixingof the contents to be heated and activator 24.

As seen in FIG. 2, target container 10 has a bottom surface with one ormore protrusions 14 which, in this embodiment, are in the form ofconcentric rings. FIG. 3 shows protrusions 14 from above, looking downinto target container 10. Additionally, activator container 20 mayinclude piercer 26, which in this embodiment is a rigid plastic spear.However, piercer 26 may not be included with self-heating container 1 asa user may use a knife, pen or other external instrument to pierceactivator container (a process described more fully below). To preventpiercer 26 from puncturing second shell 4, second shell 4 may be madefrom a thicker and/or stronger material than the bottom of activatorcontainer 20. Additionally, the distance from the bottom of activatorcontainer 20 to second shell 4 may be sufficiently large that piercer 26will not contact second shell 4 after being pushed by the user.

In an alternate embodiment (not depicted), the piercer may be replacedby other means for placing the activator container in fluidcommunication with the activator receiving chamber. For example, anexternal “pull string” may be connected to an internal “pull tab” suchthat once the string is pulled, the tab disengages and opens a hole inthe activator container to allow fluid to exit the activator containerinto the activator receiving chamber.

In another embodiment, shown in FIG. 4, piercer 26 is a cross-shapedpointed member that spans the diameter of activator container 20. Theupper end of piercer 26 is adjacent the upper end of activator container20 so that a user can press down on it easily without removing any coversealing activator container 20. The cross-shaped profile of piercer 26serves to create a large hole in the bottom of activator container 20 soas to quickly empty all of the contents of activator container 20without piercer 26 itself blocking the hole it creates.

Second shell 4 includes reaction chamber 30 containing reactant 32.Second shell 4 also includes activator receiving chamber 40. As can beseen, reaction chamber 30 and activator receiving chamber 40 are influid communication with one another via spillway 42. It can thus beseen that when a user pierces the bottom of activator container 20 bypushing down on piercer 26 (or by using an external implement),activator 24 will travel into activator receiving chamber 40, downspillway 42, and into reaction chamber 30 where it will contact reactant32 and set off an exothermic reaction.

Reactant 32 and activator 24 may be any chemicals that, when combined,undergo an exothermic reaction. Examples of exothermic reactions thatcan be used to heat target container 10 include the combination of waterwith strong acids, combining alkalis and acids, polymerization, thermitereaction, aluminum-based reactions, magnesium-iron-based reactions,anhydride-based reactions, and so forth. One particularly suitable,non-toxic exothermic composition is Lava Gel® (manufactured by ForeverYoung International, Inc, Escondido, Calif., USA) which is known toexhibit a very controlled temperature for an extended period of time,with simply the addition of water or an electrolyte solution, such assaline water (as the activator). However, other reactants may be used,according to design preference, including reactants that requireactivation or moderation by more than one activator compound or element.

Thus, in this embodiment, when the user pierces activator container 20,activator 24 flows out of activator container 20, down spillway 42, andinto reaction chamber 30. The powder mixture turns into a heat-producinggel as reactant 32 and activator 24 simultaneously begin to undergo anexothermic reaction. Thus, reaction chamber 30 fills with an exothermicgel.

The use of an exothermic gel, such as Lava Gel, provides importantadvantages. Where activator 24 is water, the gel sequesters the water sothat it cannot leak out of the reaction chamber 30. Thus, the need for acomplex valve that allows gas to escape from reaction chamber 30 withoutallowing liquid to escape is eliminated. The exothermic gel is soviscous that it cannot leak out of the opening created by piercer 26 inactivator container 20, even though gases such as steam can stillescape.

The exothermic gel expands (relative to the volume of the dry powdermixture) and oozes up the sides of target container 10 between firstshell 2 and second shell 4. The gel also expands into cavitiesunderneath protrusions 14. Thus, the exothermic gel contacts the outersurface of target container 10 over a very broad surface area. Thisallows the exothermic gel to quickly and evenly heat target container10. In an alternative embodiment, protrusion 14 may be embossedlettering such as a logo, or a cylindrical or conical protrusionextending vertically upward into target container 10, optionally all theway up to the top of target container 10 such that target container 10is annular.

Returning to FIG. 1, first shell 2 also includes peripheral flange 6.Peripheral flange 6 provides a flat surface for an adhesive foil coverto be adhered to first shell 2, thereby sealing the contents to beheated inside target container 10 and activator 24 inside activatorcontainer 20. First shell 2 may also include spout 8 to aid drinkingfrom target container 10 where the contents to be heated are a beverageor soup. The adhesive foil cover may have a small peel-back portion overspout 8 so that only a small portion of target container 10 is uncoveredwhen the contents to be heated are consumed or poured out.

The contents inside target container 10 may be anything at all,including foods and non-foods. In one embodiment, the contents to beheated are liquid herbal tea. In this embodiment, which is particularlywell suited for use in spas, activator container 20 may containaromatherapeutic oils. These oils will flow into reaction chamber 30along with activator 24 and therefore are heated by the exothermicreaction between activator 24 and reactant 32. This heating of the oilscauses them to release beneficial aromatherapeutic vapors that help torelax the tea drinker. Alternatively, or in addition, aromatherapeuticor perfume particles may be included in reaction chamber 30 so as torelease aromatherapeutic gases during the exothermic reaction.

First and second nested shells 2 and 4 provide self-heating container 1with a relatively simple construction. Either or both of shells 2 and 4can be made from molded plastics such as polyethylene or polypropyleneor other polymers. This means that self-heating container 1 can bemanufactured very inexpensively so that self-heating container 1 may bedisposable. Also, one or more of the shells 2, 4 may be manufacturedfrom water resistant paper, plastic, metals, and so forth. In someembodiments, one or more of the shells 2, 4 may also be biodegradable.Further, particularly where Lava Gel™ is the reactant used, there is nodanger of self-heating container 1 melting because the reactingchemicals do not attain dangerously high temperatures. Additionally, theheat of the exothermic reaction continues for a relatively long time,from 15 minutes to an hour or more, when Lava Gel™ is the reactant used.Thus, not only do the contents of target container 10 stay warm for anextended period of time when compared to existing self-heating devices,self-heating container 1 itself can be used as a hand-warmer after thecontents to be heated have been consumed or disposed of.

It is to be understood that self-heating container 1 may have a widevariety of shapes and sizes. For example, the containers are notnecessarily round and may be rectangular or polygonal. The dimensionsmay vary widely from only 1-2 inches in length and/or height to severalfeet in length and/or height, and any size in between. In particular, itshould be noted that the dimensions shown in FIG. 2 are just onepossible example of the dimensions of self-heating container 1 andshould in no way be taken as limiting.

Another embodiment of an instant self-heating container is shown inFIGS. 5 and 6. Instant self-heating container 50 includes outer housing52 which has an open upper end and a closed lower end. Lid 54 isattached to the open upper end of outer housing 52 and may bepermanently bonded to housing 52 by thermal or ultrasonic welding,adhesives, or any other suitable means. Lid 54 includes dispenseraperture 56 (which may be surrounded by a drinking well depression inthe upper surface of lid 54) and vent 57, both of which are in fluidcommunication with the interior volume of outer housing 52. Lid 54 alsoincludes activator chamber 58 which is surrounded by moat 59.

As best shown in FIG. 6A, which is a cross-sectional view of instantself-heating container 50 taken along the vertical plane passing throughthe centers of dispensing aperture 56, vent 57, and activator chamber58, activator chamber 58 contains activator 62 and piercer 64. Activator62 is retained within activator chamber 58 by membrane 65, which may bea thin foil adhered to the undersurface of moat 59 so as to stretchacross the bottom of activator chamber 58 thereby forming a sealed lowerend of activator chamber 58. Activator chamber 58 also contains piercer64 which is a relatively sharp object capable of piercing membrane 65when downward pressure is applied externally to the upper surface ofactivator chamber 58 so as to urge piercer 64 against membrane 65.Piercer 64 may be free-floating within activator chamber 58 or may beintegrally formed therewith. Piercer 64 is shown in greater detail inFIGS. 6B and 6C. As can be seen, piercer 64 has a cross-shaped profileand is pointed at its lower end and flat at its upper end. This shape ofpiercer 64 is particularly advantageous because it cleanly rupturesmembrane 65 without self-sealing the rupture formed in membrane 65. Thisensures that all of activator 62 will be released from activator chamber58.

Continuing with FIG. 6, hermetic seal 60 covers the entire upper end oflid 54. As dispensing aperture 56 and vent 57 are the only paths offluid communication between the interior of outer housing 52 and theatmosphere, hermetic seal 60 prevents any of the contents of outerhousing 52 from escaping prior to activation of self-heating container50 by a user. Hermetic seal 60 may be a thin foil adhered to the uppersurface of lid 54, and may include a pull tab to assist a user inremoving hermetic seal 54.

As also shown in FIG. 6, outer housing 52 contains reactant 66 which, inthe illustrated embodiment, is shown contained within a permeable pouch.However, reactant 66 may also be free-floating within outer housing 52.Outer housing 52 also contains contents container 70 which contains thesubstance to be heated, hereinafter referred to as contents 74. Contents74 may be a beverage, soup, or any other liquid including non-foodliquids which require heating. In the illustrated embodiment, contentscontainer 70 is a pouch with a gusseted bottom and is sealed around itsperiphery by peripheral seal 77.

The construction of one embodiment of contents container 70 is shown ingreater detail in FIGS. 7 and 8. In this embodiment, contents container70 is a pouch. FIG. 7 shows contents container 70 prior to bondingtogether external panels 80 along peripheral seal 77 to form the pouch.FIG. 8 shows a profile cross-sectional view of the middle of contentscontainer 70 after external panels 80 have been bonded together alongperipheral seal 77. As seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, the bottom of contentscontainer 70 comprises two nestable gussets, outer gusset 82 and innergusset 84. As used herein, the term “nestable” means that when contentscontainer 70 is evacuated, inner gusset 84 can fold over and nest withouter gusset 82. The presence of inner gusset 84 inside contentscontainer 70 divides contents container 70 into lower chamber 83 andupper chamber 85. Inner gusset 84 also includes one or more percolationapertures 86 which allow fluid communication between upper chamber 85and lower chamber 83 for a purpose to be described below. The number andsize of percolation apertures 86 is not critical, but in one embodimentthere are three percolation apertures 86 which are each approximately0.45 cm in diameter. However, if more percolation apertures 86 areprovided, each would be smaller in diameter. Conversely, if fewerpercolation apertures 86 are provided, each would be larger in diameter.

Contents container 70 also includes conduit 72 disposed in conduit seal76, which is essentially a widened portion of peripheral seal 77.Conduit 72 may be a separate tube or straw which is embedded and sealedinto conduit seal 76, or conduit 72 may be a passageway that isintegrally formed as part of contents container 70, particularly wherecontents container 70 is a pouch. As the lower end of conduit 72 extendsbelow the bottom of conduit seal 76, the lower end of conduit 72 isunsealed and is in contact with contents 74 in lower chamber 83 ofcontents container 70. The upper end of conduit 72 extends above theupper end of conduit seal 76 and is bonded to dispenser aperture 56. Thebond between the upper end of conduit 72 and dispenser aperture 56 isimpermeable to liquids and gases. Thus, conduit 72 is the only path offluid communication between the interior of contents container 70 andthe atmosphere (via dispensing aperture 56).

Activator 62 and reactant 66 are substances which, when combined,produce an exothermic reaction. In one embodiment, activator 62 is freshwater or an electrolyte solution and reactant 66 is Lava Gel. Asmentioned above in reference to the first-disclosed embodiment of aninstant self-heating container, instant self-heating container 10, otherknown exothermic reactants may also be used according to designpreferences.

To combine activator 62 and reactant 66, a user removes hermetic seal 60from lid 54 and then applies downward pressure to the upper surface ofactivator chamber 58. The upper surface of activator chamber 58comprises a flexible material so that it is displaceable from a neutralposition to a lowered position. In other words, when a user appliesdownward force to the upper surface of activator chamber 58, the uppersurface “oil cans” downward. This downward displacement of the uppersurface of activator chamber 58 causes it to contact piercer 64 and urgeit against membrane 65. If sufficient force is applied, piercer 64 willcause membrane 65 to rupture thereby releasing activator 62 into theinterior of outer housing 52 where it is free to flow downward aroundcontents container 70 until it contacts reactant 66 at the bottom ofouter housing 52. One advantage of using Lava Gel as reactant 66 is thata very small volume of activator solution (on the order of 10-15 mL) issufficient to fully complete the reaction (more or less activatorsolution could be used depending on the application). As the requiredvolume of activator 62 is so small, activator chamber 58 can becommensurately small and conveniently located on lid 54. Once theexothermic reaction begins, reaction gases are free to escape throughvent 57 of lid 54 to prevent buildup of pressure inside outer housing52.

It can be seen in FIG. 6 that reactant 66 is in direct contact with thebottom of contents container 70. Thus, once activator 62 and reactant 66are combined and undergo an exothermic reaction, contents 74 at thebottom of contents container 70 in lower chamber 83 will be heated firstwhile contents 74 at the top of contents container 70 in upper chamber85 will initially remain at their original temperature until warmed byintermixing and convection. For this reason, providing conduit 72 as theonly path of fluid communication between contents container 70 anddispensing aperture 56 provides an important advantage. As the lower endof conduit 72 is in contact with contents 74 inside lower chamber 83 ofcontents container 70, the hottest portion of contents 74 is first totravel through conduit 72 to dispensing aperture 56. In practical terms,this means that when a user activates self-heating container 50, theuser is not required to wait for all of contents 74 to become hot.Rather, assuming contents 74 is a consumable liquid, the user's “firstsip” will be hot even though contents 74 in upper chamber 85 are not yetfully heated. If conduit 72 instead had its lower end in upper chamber85 of contents container 70, the user would have to wait several minutesfor contents 74 to become fully heated.

Another advantage of this configuration of conduit 72, lower chamber 83and upper chamber 85 is that it provides functionality hereinafterreferred to as “metered dispensing.” As mentioned above, conduit 72 isthe only path of fluid communication between the interior of contentscontainer 70 and dispenser aperture 56. In other words, the interior ofcontents container 70 is otherwise completely sealed. Thus, when a usertips over self-heating container 50 in order to take a sip (or otherwisedispense contents 74), the liquid contents 74 will travel from lowerchamber 83 through conduit 72 and out dispenser aperture 56 due to theforce of gravity. This evacuation of contents 74 from lower chamber 83causes the air pressure inside contents container 70 to lower in anamount proportional to the volume of contents 74 that escapes.Eventually, this lowered air pressure inside contents container 70causes the flow of contents 74 through conduit 72 to cease. In someembodiments, the volume of contents 74 required to escape before flowceases is on the order of 15-30 mL, which is the approximate volume oflower chamber 83 and is a convenient “sip size” for most users ifcontents 74 are lukewarm. However, if contents 74 are at their maximumtemperature (for example, approximately 70° C.), a user is likely to sipa much smaller volume of contents 74, for example on the order of 1-3mL. Of course, smaller and larger sip size volumes are alsocontemplated. Once the sip is complete and the user removes his or hermouth from dispensing aperture 56 and returns self-heating container 50to its upright vertical position, air is permitted to travel from theatmosphere down conduit 72 and into contents container 70, therebyequalizing the air pressure and readying self-heating container 50 forthe next sip.

As the metered volume of contents 74 leaves lower chamber 83 via conduit72, contents 74 flow from upper chamber 85 through percolation apertures86 into lower chamber 83 to replace the contents 74 dispensed during theprevious sip. Thus, after each sip, additional contents 74 are “trapped”in lower chamber 83 where they are quickly heated by the exothermicreaction beneath contents container 70. In this way, each sip the usertakes is freshly heated and comprises the hottest portion of contents 74in contents container 70.

The materials used to make instant self-heating container 50 are notcritical. However, outer housing 52 may be made from paper such aspost-consumer recycled paper, foams such as expanded polyethylene orpolypropylene, or plastics such as polyethylene or polypropylene. Lid 54and conduit 72 may be made from any suitable plastic such aspolypropylene, polystyrene, or polyethylene. Contents container 70 maybe a pouch made from a thin metal foil laminated in plastics such aspolypropylene or polyethylene and polyester acetate or the like.

Now turning to FIGS. 9-19, a third embodiment of an instant self-heatingcontainer will now be described. This embodiment of an instantself-heating container is particularly advantageous for use as adepilatory wax dispenser that solves the problems disclosed above. FIG.9 is a perspective view of an exemplary disposable depilatory waxdispenser 100. The exemplary dispenser 100 comprises a container 102having an outer wall 104, lip 106, inner wall 108, and activator well110. Depilatory material 112 is disposed between inner wall 108 andactivator well 110. Exothermic reactant material (not shown) is placedin the exothermic reactant cavity (see FIG. 11, for example) formedbetween outer wall 104 and inner wall 108. The activator well 110provides a controlled access portal to the exothermic reactant, whereinthe activator is disposed into a passageway or channel formed betweenthe activator well 110 and the exothermic reactant cavity to activatethe exothermic reactant.

The upper surface of container 102 is sealed by sealing membrane 120having a tab 122. When using the exemplary dispenser 100, sealingmembrane 120 is removed from container 102 by pulling or lifting tab 122from lip 106. Modes for attaching the sealing membrane 120 to lip 106 orto some surface of container 102 to seal/protect the interior ofcontainer 102 are well known in the art, as well as modes for removal.Therefore, these features are not further elucidated herein.

It should be understood that while FIG. 9 illustrates container 102 asforming a donut-like receiving cavity between inner wall 108 and centerwell 110, container 102 may be alternatively shaped. For example, thereceiving cavity housing the depilatory material 112 may behorseshoe-shaped or rectangular, or other volumetric shapes whichfunction to house the material 112 and allow distributed heating of thematerial 112, as further discussed below. As such, numerous other shapesare contemplated herein, with the donut-like cavity being currentlyconsidered as an efficient design for heat distribution. Therefore,changes and modifications may be made to the shapes, sizes, proportionsof the illustrated embodiments without departing from the spirit andscope of this disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a top side view of the exemplary dispenser of FIG. 9, withsealing membrane 120 removed. Activator well 110 can be formed with aninterior depression 114 that provides a cavity for housing the activatoras shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional side view of the exemplary dispenser ofFIG. 9. In FIG. 11, a liquid activator 128 is shown in activator well110. The base of inner well 129 is positioned directly above a dart 115inside cavity 126 which is formed between interior wall 124 and outerwall 104. The cavity 126 is of sufficient volume to contain exothermicreactant 111 and, if needed, is large enough to allow expansion ofexothermic reactant 111 during activation.

FIG. 12 is another cross-sectional side view of the exemplary dispenserof FIG. 9, being activated. Specifically, a downward force (depicted bythe arrow 130) will cause base of inner well 129 to be ruptured viacontact with dart 115.

As illustrated in FIG. 13, with an upward or returning force (depictedby the arrow 132), the rupture will significantly open, allowing theactivator 128 to easily proceed into cavity 126 and mix with exothermicreactant 111 to activate the exothermic reaction. The shape of dart 115can be designed to evenly distribute activator 128 in surroundingexothermic reactant 111, if so desired. Accordingly, in variousembodiments, the dart 115 may be configured with a different shape thanshown herein, and may also be disposed above or below the base of innerwell 129.

Other means for breaching the passageway between the exothermic reactantcavity and the well are also contemplated, such as combination “pullstrings” and “pull tabs”, accessible plugs, and the like.

The operator can then remove sealing membrane 120 by, for example,pulling on tab 122 as shown in FIG. 14 to expose material 112. With asuitably activated exothermic reactant 111, depilatory material 112 canbe quickly raised to a desired temperature and sufficiently maintainedat that temperature for application by the user.

FIG. 15A shows applicator 142 in liquefied wax 112 and how exhaust gases140 from exothermic material 111 (e.g., water vapor, exothermicby-products, etc.) are vented through the ruptured base of the innerwell 129, allowing pressure to be released. The release of pressure issignificant as gases are typically produced from the exothermic reactionand their venting from cavity 126 is critical in maintaining thestructural integrity of container 102. In some embodiments, it may bedesirable to add fragrances or essential oils or scents to the ventingexhaust gasses 140, either in cavity 126 or as elements in the activator128. Therefore, with such additional elements, aromatherapy can also beeffected as part of the depilatory session.

FIG. 15B shows another embodiment wherein the passageway between theexothermic reactant cavity 126 and the top and bottom of the activatorwell 110 can be breached by use of an applicator 142 b having a pointedend 143. This embodiment obviates the need for the dart 115 shown in theabove examples. This exemplary embodiment can be activated by pressingthe pointed end 143 of the applicator 142 b into the top of theactivator well 110 (thereby breaking the seal 120, above the activatorwell 110) and pressing the applicator 142 b down into the bottom 129 ofthe activator well 110, to breach the passageway to the exothermiccavity 126. A feature of this embodiment is that venting exhaust gases140 can vent through the broken seal 120, prior to removal of the restof seal 120 from the dispenser.

As should be apparent, the various materials for the container 102should be resistant to high temperatures. Of course, depending on thetype and regulation of the exothermic reactant 111 and the type ofdepilatory material 112 being used, the temperature may be sufficientlylow enough to not require a high temperature resistant material.Accordingly, various combinations of materials may be used withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of another exemplary disposable depilatorymaterial dispenser embodiment 200. The exemplary dispenser 200 isprovided with tray 215 for placement of gauzes, strips, antisepticwipes, and so forth. Also, container 202 is more box-like, rather thancircular as seen in FIG. 9's exemplary dispenser 100. Of course, theshape of container 202 may be varied according to design preference. Thesealing membrane 220 is elongated at one end for reasons made evidentbelow.

FIG. 17 is a top side view of the exemplary dispenser 200 of FIG. 16,with sealing membrane 220 removed. The exemplary dispenser 200 providesa well 210 that is exterior to wax chamber 225, in contrast to the innerwell 110 shown in the above Figures. Since well 210 is displaced fromthe center of wax chamber 225, it can be sized to accommodate a largervolume of activator as well as the fact that the wax chamber 225 can bemade larger, if so desired. The function of well 210 is similar to theinner well 110 described above. The activator 228 can be situated apriori in well 210, being sealed by sealing membrane 220. Via a dart(not shown) disposed in or below well 210, the secondary compound 228can be channeled into the exothermic reactant chamber (not shown)containing the exothermic reactant (not shown).

FIG. 18 is a diagonal cross-sectional view of the exemplary dispenser200 shown in FIG. 17. Container 202 has an inner wall 224 which housesthe exothermic reactant (not shown) in cavity 226. The cavity 226 isformed between inner wall 224 and interior wall 212 of inner well 210and wax chamber 225 and provides a conduit for distribution of secondarycompound 228 from bottom 210 b of inner well 210 to exothermic material.Overlapping portions of the interior wall 212 can be attached to varioussurface(s) 202 b of the container 202, to “seal” the cavity 226 andprevent escape of exothermic material or gases when activated.

The user can rupture the bottom 210 b of inner well 210 via any means,such as, for example, pressing downward on a dart (not shown) placedbelow the bottom 210 b of inner well 210 or, a dart (not shown) locatedinside the inner well 210. In other embodiments, it may be desirable toprovide an applicator that is pointed at one end (see FIG. 19), forenabling the rupturing of the bottom 210 b of the inner well 210. Meansfor rupturing or opening the bottom 210 b or any part of inner well 210to allow secondary compound to enter cavity 226 are well known,therefore they are not further elaborated herein. Upon activation ofexothermic material 211 (not shown), heating of wax in wax chamber 225can commence, and be accelerated by shaking container 202 to more evenlydistribute secondary compound 228 (not shown) within cavity 226.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a wax dispenser servlet 300 with anapplicator 325. This Figure is instructive in demonstrating thatdifferent waxes can be pre-packaged into servlets 300 and then attachedto containers 202, as needed. The ability to separate the wax dispenserservlet 300 from the container 202 enables different waxes to beprepared (for example, on an assembly line) and then combining theservlet 300 with a container blank to form an exemplary wax dispenser200. Of course, the servlet 300 may be fitted to a container not havinga tray 215 and may be offered independently as a stand-alone waxdispenser, if so desired. Also, the servlet 300 may be replaced whileretaining the container 202 for subsequent use. For example, for a usedwax dispenser 200, the used servlet 300 may be removed and discarded andthe expended exothermic material 211 may be discarded from the container202. New exothermic material 211 may be placed in the container 202 andanother servlet 300 inserted therein for a next use.

As discussed with reference to FIG. 15B, the embodiment shown in FIG. 19may also use the pointed nature of the applicator 325 to providepiercing or breaching capabilities, as needed. Of course, the pointednature of the applicator 325 can also be used for applying wax, if sodesired. As is apparent, modifications may be made to the variousaspects and elements of the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein,without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Forexample, the container of FIGS. 16-18 may configured to allow acceptanceof the donut-like wax dispenser of FIGS. 9-15, or other shaped waxdispensers. Additionally, different chambering or cavities 226 may beused to distribute exothermic material 211. Further, in someembodiments, the tray 215 may be designed to “fold” over or under thewax chamber 225, for compactness (in shipping) or for disposal (coveringthe spent wax).

Another embodiment of an instant self-heating container is shown inFIGS. 20-23. This embodiment is particularly advantageous for use as aninstant self-heating dispenser, for example (but without limitation) fordepilatory waxes. Starting with FIG. 20, instant self-heating dispenser400 includes flexible outer tube 410 which has nozzle 416 at one end.Flexible outer tube may be made from any flexible material including,without limitation, plastics such as polypropylene or polyethylene. Theother end of flexible outer tube 410 is open but once assembled issealed by cap 412. Cap 412 comprises a vent hole 418 which is sealed bymembrane 414. Membrane 414 may be adhered over vent hole 418 by awater-based adhesive that is easily dissolved by steam. Optionallyattached to nozzle 416 of flexible outer tube 410 is applicator 420.Applicator 420 comprises attachment module 422. A spreading device, suchas roller 424, is connected to attachment module 422.

However, other spreading devices are also contemplated. For example, asshown in FIG. 20A, applicator 420A comprises attachment module 422 andparallel blades 424A. Contents dispensed from nozzle 416 flow throughattachment module 422 into the space between parallel blades 424A whichforce dispensed contents to spread out evenly. Similarly, as shown inFIG. 20B, applicator 420B comprises attachment module 422, spout 423 andsqueegee (i.e., flexible rubber blade) 424B. Contents dispensed fromnozzle 416 flow through attachment module 422 in front of squeegee 424Bwhich forces dispensed contents to spread out evenly as squeegee 424B isslid against a surface. Other spreading devices, such as sponges, mayalso be used.

Continuing with FIGS. 20-23, instant self-heating dispenser 400 alsoincludes flexible reaction vessel 430 and frangible activator vessel440. Flexible reaction vessel 430 is disposed inside flexible outer tube410, and frangible activator vessel 440 is disposed inside flexiblereaction vessel 430. Frangible activator vessel 440 is easily rupturedby bending and may be, for example, a very thin-walled glass tube withwall thickness on the order of 1 mm. Frangible activator vessel 440contains activator 442 which may be a liquid such as water or anelectrolyte. Flexible reaction vessel 430 may be a flexible plastic tubeor may simply be an impermeable pouch made from plastic or latex.Flexible reaction vessel 430 contains reactant 432 which may befree-floating inside flexible reaction vessel 430 or, moreadvantageously, inside an elongate water permeable pouch. In oneembodiment, reactant 432 is Lava Gel® as discussed above in reference tothe previously disclosed embodiments of instant self-heating containers.

Once flexible reaction vessel 430 and frangible activator vessel 440 arein place inside flexible outer tube 410, flexible outer tube 410 isfilled with contents 450 which are to be heated. Once flexible outertube 410 is filled with contents 450, cap 412 is secured to the open endof flexible outer tube 410. Cap 412 may be secured to flexible outertube 410 by any suitable means including spin welding, thermal orultrasonic welding, or adhesives. Attachment module 422 of applicator420 (or 420A or 420B) is also attached to nozzle 416 by any suitablemeans, including by threaded connection, press-fit connection, oradhesives.

To use instant self-heating dispenser 400, the user bends outer tube 410until frangible activator vessel 440 ruptures. When this occurs,activator 442 is immediately released into flexible reaction vessel 430where it combines with reactant 432 thereby causing an exothermicreaction. Exhaust gases, such as steam, build pressure inside flexiblereaction vessel 430 until membrane 414 is rupture or torn away, therebyreleasing the exhaust gases through vent 418. Where a water-basedadhesive is used to attach membrane 414 to cap 412, the steam in theexhaust gases quickly dissolves the adhesive and facilitates removal ofmembrane 414.

As flexible reaction vessel 430 is not frangible and therefore remainsintact despite the bending of outer tube 410, the combinedreactant/activator mixture does not intermix with contents 450. Rather,contents 450 are heated by conduction through the walls of flexiblereaction vessel 430. As flexible reaction vessel 430 is enveloped bycontents 450, contents 450 are heated from the inside out evenly in alldirections. Contents 450 are thereby heated very quickly. Where contents450 is depilatory wax, the wax quickly melts and is ready to apply to abody part such as a leg. Holding instant self-heating dispenser withapplicator 420 below cap 412 allows contents 450 to flow out nozzle 416into applicator 420 and onto roller 424. By rolling roller 424 along abody part, an even distribution of contents 450 on the body part isachieved.

The dimensions of instant self-heating dispenser 400 are not critical.In one embodiment, instant self-heating container may be approximately20 cm in length and 3.0 cm in outer diameter. However, the concept ofself-heating dispenser 400 is easily adapted to any dimensions,including dispensers which are much longer, shorter, thicker, orthinner. The dimensions of flexible outer tube 410 somewhat determinethe dimensions of flexible reaction vessel 430 and frangible activatorvessel 440 because these vessels must fit inside flexible outer tube410. In one embodiment, the outer diameter of flexible reaction vessel430 is 1.5 cm and the outer diameter of frangible activator vessel 440is 1.0 cm. Of course, a wide variety of dimensions of flexible outertube 410, flexible reaction vessel 430, and frangible activator vessel440 may be used without departing from the scope and spirit of thepresent disclosure. Finally, in one embodiment, flexible outer tube 410may contain 15 g of depilatory wax. Of course, the amount of contentsinside flexible outer tube 410 is determined by the relative dimensionsof flexible outer tube 410 and flexible reaction vessel 430, and thusany amount of contents may be provided inside flexible outer tube 410depending on the dimensions of instant self-heating dispenser 400.

It will be understood that many additional changes in the details,materials, steps and arrangement of parts, which have been hereindescribed and illustrated to explain the nature of the invention, may bemade by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of theinvention as expressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A self-heating container, comprising: a firstshell configured to receive contents; a second shell external to andnested with the first shell, the second shell comprising a reactionchamber comprising a reactant therein; and an activator containercomprising an activator, wherein the activator container and the firstshell each have walls that prevent the activator from penetrating thefirst shell; and wherein the activator container is configured to beopened to release the activator into the reaction chamber; and wherein,when the activator container is opened, the activator contacts thereactant and forms an exothermic reaction that radiates heat between thefirst shell and the second shell to transfer heat to all walls of thefirst shell.
 2. The self-heating container according to claim 1, furthercomprising a contents cover sealing the contents to be received in thefirst shell, the contents cover having at least a portion that isopenable to provide access to the first shell.
 3. The self-heatingcontainer according to claim 2, further comprising an activator coversealing the activator inside the activator container.
 4. Theself-heating container according to claim 3, wherein the contents coverand the activator cover are integral parts of a single container cover.5. The self-heating container according to claim 4, further comprising atarget container disposed inside in the first shell, wherein the targetcontainer comprises the contents to be received in the first shell,wherein the first shell further comprises a flat flange circumscribingthe target container and the activator container, and wherein the singlecontainer cover is a peel-back cover adhered to the flat flange of thefirst shell.
 6. The self-heating container according to claim 1, furthercomprising a target container disposed inside in the first shell,wherein the target container comprises the contents to be received inthe first shell.
 7. The self-heating container according to claim 6,wherein the first shell further comprises a spout configured tofacilitate drinking the contents from the target container.
 8. Theself-heating container according to claim 6, wherein the targetcontainer has a bottom surface comprising at least one protrusion thatforms a concentric ring.
 9. The self-heating container according toclaim 6, wherein the target container has a bottom with at least oneprotrusion extending upwardly into the target container.
 10. Theself-heating container according to claim 1, further comprising apiercer disposed in the activator container, wherein the piercer isconfigured to open the activator container and is a cross shaped memberhaving a pointed lower end and an upper end adjacent to an upper end ofthe activator container.
 11. The self-heating container according toclaim 10, wherein the piercer is a rigid plastic spear.
 12. Theself-heating container according to claim 1, further comprising anaromatherapeutic substance disposed in the reaction chamber or activatorcontainer, wherein when the activator contacts the reactant,aromatherapeutic gases are released from the self-heating container. 13.The self-heating container according to claim 1, wherein the exothermicgel sequesters the activator and restricts the activator from leakingout of the reaction chamber.
 14. The self-heating container according toclaim 1, wherein the first shell and the second shell are bondedtogether.
 15. The self heating container according to claim 1, whereinthe activator container further comprises a lower surface, and whereinthe second shell is constructed from a material stronger than the lowersurface of the activator container.
 16. The self-heating containeraccording to claim 1, further comprising a pull string operativelyconnected to the activator container, wherein the pull string isconfigured to be pulled from outside the self-heating container, andwherein pulling the pull string causes the activator container to beopened to release the activator into the reaction chamber.